Through Hardship to the Stars

The vessel carrying the secret technique was actually an ancient puzzle cube covered in faint blue magic runes? Aside from the forbidden grimoire known as the Necronomicon, this was the first time Bai Zhou had encountered a vessel for a secret technique in reality. It was neither parchment nor bamboo slips; its material alone made it abundantly clear how valuable it was, driving home to Bai Zhou once more just how deeply and jealously such esoteric knowledge was guarded in the mysterious world. Yet perhaps only through such means could these extraordinary teachings endure across two thousand years of history. Hum... The faint blue luminescence bathed Bai Zhou's face. His eyes shone with intense focus. As an initiated ritualist and a half-baked runecrafter, using magic runes as a lock to seal away extraordinary knowledge gave him fresh, intriguing inspiration. However... While Bai Zhou looked down, examining the ancient puzzle cube flickering with blue light in his hands, the armored, purple-haired young woman stood a short distance away, scrutinizing him closely. The title of Savior carried immense weight, commanding great respect even among noble visitors from the Fog Capital. She was no stranger to figures capable of saving an entire city, but she had never seen one this young. In legendary tales, saviors always ground out every side quest to max level before taking on the main mission of saving the world and donning that heavy mantle. Yet in this small city of Tinghai, fate had chosen a... A boy. He was too young—so young that her gaze drifted into a daze, feeling as though the person standing before her were merely a prospective college student who had just graduated from high school. He should have been lounging on a sunlit campus, lying on the lawn outside the library pretending to read Hesse, or crossing paths on the way back to the dorm with a girl in white stockings playing the violin beneath a tree. Shouldering such a crushing title at an age meant for enjoying youth, and achieving it without pedigree or family backing—she knew all too well how much grit and sacrifice that demanded. "Quite a coincidence. On the very day you saved Tinghai and were entered into its city annals, our Train Z-67 happened to arrive here." She continued in a cool, level tone, "The moment I heard about your deeds, I wanted to meet you." She added softly, "In a way, you could call it fate." Fate...? Bai Zhou pulled his gaze away from the puzzle cube and looked up at the purple-haired young woman. The arrogant Western Federation fighters stood before her as meek as quails. Amidst the bowed heads of these formidable figures, she spoke softly without expression, her voice drifting to Bai Zhou's ears on the breeze. Bai Zhou recalled what Gem Witch had told him on their way here regarding the Western Federation and the Fog Capital... "The Eastern Federation has Tianjing and the Ten Supercities, but the Western Federation is different. They don't have a single shared core metropolis; instead, five capitals govern separately, each serving as the central leader of their respective domains." "Among those five capitals, each has an overall strength slightly below Tianjing's, yet surpassing any of the Eastern Federation's Ten Supercities. The Fog Capital is one of them." "The Fog Capital has profound heritage. Powerful figures in the mysterious world lurk behind its scenes in droves. It's a super metropolis firmly seated among the top ten across the entire Blue Star, contending even for the top five!" "And that young noble leading the exchange delegation—the one her subordinates address as 'Your Highness'—possesses an extremely mysterious background. She bears an ancient Roman heritage, and rumor has it that one or two ancient, formidable extraordinary factions stand behind her." At that point, Gem Witch had curled her lips, envy practically overflowing from her eyes. "Barring any unforeseen accidents, she is destined to stand at the pinnacle of the mysterious world and become a renowned figure across the Blue Star. She's in a completely different league from wild strays like us." "I heard that after a brief stop in Tianjing, this Highness took her delegation across multiple cities, and Tinghai is just one of their stops. We don't know why they came to our little city... but everyone in Tinghai takes this visit very seriously. That's why, even while scrambling to clean up the aftermath of the Major Luo incident, they still spared the time and energy to host them." Ancient Roman heritage... The moment that phrase came to mind, Bai Zhou felt an inescapable sense of absurdity. Did ancient Rome still have heirs in the mortal realm? Had anyone bothered asking him, the living Roman Emperor himself? If you want to inherit Rome, where's your authentication certificate? Where are your scepter, imperial seal, and crown? Claiming you're Rome's heir doesn't mean a thing—you're only the heir if I say you are... Thinking this in his head while calmly sizing up the purple-haired young woman, Bai Zhou bounced the puzzle cube in his hand a couple of times and offered an innocent, sincere smile. "Perhaps," Bai Zhou replied. "When it comes to fate, I've always thought of it as something that neither truly exists nor truly doesn't." The purple-haired young woman offered neither agreement nor denial. Turning toward the surrounding crowd, her expression grew stern. "My subordinates behaved discourteously just now." Her voice was not loud, yet it fell crystal clear into every set of ears. "I apologize to Tinghai's official institutions for their arrogance and for the harm they inflicted upon your people." Amidst the astonished and stirred gazes of the crowd, her purple hair fell forward and her armor clinked softly as she bowed to the people around her. "Your Highness..." A young Western Federation fighter's eyes went wide. Yet a sharp, severe glare from the purple-haired young woman halted him instantly, freezing him stiff where he stood. "Your valor and unyielding fighting spirit command my deepest respect. I must acknowledge that you, too, are truly strong." She swept her gaze across the crowd, speaking in a solemn, resonant tone. "The outcome of a temporary sparring ritual proves nothing. The truly strong have never resided on training grounds; they dwell in the Reflected Ruin Realm, on the front lines where black box containment fails." "All medical expenses for the injured will be fully covered by our side... Furthermore, for the next five years, all advancement resources along the extraordinary pathways for those wounded in this battle will be completely financed by us." "In addition—" She straightened up and declared steadily, "Starting next week, I will coordinate with several Fog Capital consortiums to negotiate investments with Tinghai. The development of the Reflected Ruin Realm, biological laboratories, the distribution of extraordinary equipment... everything is open for discussion." "When the time comes, I hope the project management on Tinghai's side will be handled by the very people who were injured today." "I hope this cooperation provides meaningful support to Tinghai, a city as lovely as it is worthy of respect." The moment those words landed, everyone present was visibly moved. Medical expenses were one thing. Covering their advancement resources for the next five years, injecting capital across an entire ocean into a small city like Tinghai, and letting the wounded oversee the projects... Everyone present grasped the staggering significance of this. That was the Fog Capital! Consortiums from the Fog Capital! Once Tinghai developed, every resident stood to benefit. Even the Statute Emissary seated high on the platform was staring blankly in shock. "Your Highness..." The Statute Emissary glanced uncertainly at the two representatives beside him. The female Western Federation representative stroked the tabby cat resting on her shoulder and nodded. "Her Highness's will is the will of our entire exchange delegation!" Hearing that, the Statute Emissary inhaled a deep breath. Below, the elites of the Special Control Bureau exchanged glances. Suddenly, they began to feel that stepping onto the field, fighting, and getting injured might not have been such a bad thing after all... Flap, flap... The purple-haired young woman's cloak snapped sharply in the wind. In mere moments, a few sentences had completely overturned everyone's perception and subtly altered the future of Tinghai. Describing her words as carrying the weight of gold hardly did them justice; her demeanor commanded genuine awe. Yet in the end—as she turned her gaze back to Bai Zhou—everyone's eyes snapped directly onto him as well. The spotlight quietly shifted once more, placing Bai Zhou back at the center of attention. Everyone understood that the one who had brought "Her Highness" down to the field and earned her respect for Tinghai was not any of the so-called elites from the Special Control Bureau. It was Bai Zhou. At any time, winning another's respect required the strength to speak with them on equal footing! It was only because Bai Zhou happened to be staying at the Special Control Bureau today that what should have been their darkest day had turned bright and clear. What if Bai Zhou hadn't been here? The Anomaly Investigation Bureau and the Statute Hall had both hosted similar exchanges earlier! Just look at Director Qi from the Anomaly Investigation Bureau up on the platform, his eyes practically glowing with faint red envy. "Even the defeated receive honors; the victor deserves far greater glory." The purple-haired young woman looked at Bai Zhou and spoke again. "This small token is too meager for you!" "...Indeed." Bai Zhou blinked, nodding as he let out a soft sigh, quietly stowing away the puzzle cube without drawing attention. "Still, while this knowledge isn't particularly useful to me, it holds some reference value." "Therefore, I will accept this small token—may it symbolize the friendship between our two cities." Bai Zhou's words intentionally made it known that the knowledge was of little use to him. At that moment, both the elites of the Special Control Bureau and the Western Federation visitors felt an involuntary pang of shame. What boundless magnanimity! The agreed-upon stake was a minor prize for defeating any single opponent, yet Bai Zhou had fought six to earn it. And it was just an inconsequential token. It didn't even match the benefits given to the defeated wounded. In the mysterious world, the chasms between pathways were impassable. To a formidable extraordinary of distinguished background, the fragmented legacy of an extinct pathway's secret technique was no different from a potted cactus in a bedroom— You couldn't say it had no use, but its value was purely ornamental. Surely no one genuinely believed a potted cactus could purify bedroom air and boost human health, right? After watching Bai Zhou fight, he had already become a towering, mysterious figure in their minds, so nobody assumed he lacked such things. Naturally, someone like him wouldn't care about a trivial prize. His decisive intervention to sweep through the challengers could only mean one thing—he had stepped forward specifically to stand up for the Special Control Bureau and slap the Western Federation across the face! And the man had actually pulled it off. With that in mind, the Special Control Bureau's elites resolved to petition their leadership afterward to secure proper resource rewards for Bai Zhou! "Is that so?" Hearing Bai Zhou's response, the purple-haired young woman remained impassive, though her gaze turned profound. "In that case, shouldn't I raise the stakes?" "After all, this was only the reward for winning a single match, yet you won six. By all rights and reason, I should present something more—a fitting prize for Tinghai's most glorious warrior." ...Six matches? Bai Zhou paused slightly, his eyes lighting up. So Thousand Blade Vortex Slash was merely the reward for a single victory? That made much more sense. He had thought requiring a sweep of the entire delegation just to win a prize was utterly absurd. They had come for an exchange, not to seek out humiliation. If they genuinely wanted a beating, they would have gone to Tianjing; why come to Tinghai? With that thought, Bai Zhou gave the purple-haired young woman a bashful smile. "If Your Highness is willing to sweeten the prize, I certainly won't object." With a calm, inscrutable gaze, the purple-haired young woman studied Bai Zhou in silence for a moment before nodding. "Very well." "However..." Her voice paused, signaling to Bai Zhou that there was, of course, an added condition. Then, he heard her say, "The greatest desire in my heart right now is to duel the savior who rescued this city." "If you can defeat me—whatever you ask for, so long as I have it, I will give you double!" Bai Zhou: "...?" The smile froze on his face. Defeat you? That joke wasn't funny in the slightest. He had no idea what concealment technique she practiced, but standing there, her aura was completely reined in, revealing neither depth nor power. Yet Bai Zhou didn't even need that to judge— Those Level 6 Titled experts behind you revere you like a deity, and you want me to beat you? To be fair, Bai Zhou didn't feel any true fear toward this heir of ancient Rome. The Roman flavor of her armor was practically overflowing, screaming her ties to Rome for all to see. Yet the seemingly unremarkable Bai Zhou standing before her in pajamas was the true living heir of Rome in the present era. That fact was certified by the Roman Spirit Net. The hierarchy was indisputable. The problem was... Status aside, in terms of sheer raw power, she seemed to be on a completely different life tier than him! Bai Zhou had not forgotten that while he was facing down the dark-haired youth earlier, his peripheral vision had caught the purple-haired young woman descending from the platform. She hadn't taken the stairs, nor had she leapt—she had walked down step by step through empty air. Bai Zhou had seen Crow walk like that... That trick alone proved she was genuinely above Level 6! An above-Level-6 at such a young age! No wonder people in a place like the Fog Capital addressed her as "Your Highness." Bai Zhou genuinely felt like cursing. She barely looked older than him. Had she stepped onto an extraordinary pathway back in kindergarten? The Fog Capital's water and soil must be miraculously nurturing to cultivate an above-Level-6 so young. Having stepped out of Wancheng just twenty-five days ago, Savior Bai Zhou inwardly vented his grievances. "While I would love to duel Your Highness and witness your prowess, you don't appear to be Level 5 or Level 6... Are you a Fate-Forger?" Having firmly decided not to accept the duel—lest he become the next emperor impaled in the street by a spear-wielding vassal—Bai Zhou questioned her bluntly, "Regrettably, I am only a Level 5 Extraordinary." "Therefore..." Bai Zhou shook his head with an apologetic tone, making his meaning crystal clear. You're already an entity above Level 6, and you want to duel me? Do you hear what you're saying? Is this the knightly virtue you keep preaching? Did you stop your subordinates from pitting Level 6 against Level 5 just because you feared they couldn't guarantee an overwhelming victory? And now you want me to fight someone above Level 6? Are you serious? If you have a problem with me, just say so. If you don't want to add to the prize, just be upfront—it's not like I wanted it that badly anyway... Though he was the last living emperor of ancient Rome, he couldn't deny that the person before him looked every bit the treacherous, tyrannical minister! When a treasonous minister wields absolute power, the emperor must bide his time, awaiting the day to restore the royal house to glory! "I am indeed a Fate-Forger, but you worry over nothing." The purple-haired young woman shook her head slightly, the strands of hair along her cheeks swaying gently. "How could I commit an act that forsakes knightly virtue?" "Then you...?" Bai Zhou's tone was laced with wariness and confusion. Without a word, the young woman looked up and snapped her fingers with flair. The wind fluttered the hem of her cloak as she held the snapping pose, motionless. Nothing happened. Bai Zhou: "..." The watching crowd stared in silence: "..." "..." The purple-haired young woman paused for a second. Expressionless, she snapped her fingers again. Snap! Whatever method she used this time, the snap sent invisible ripples through the air, and a piercing screech tore through the atmosphere, detonating beside everyone's ears. The terrifying power of a single finger! Finally, In the next instant, CLANG! A massive crash sounded from above the raised platform. Everyone looked up. A plump, barrel-like iron object was tumbling down the stairs of the platform, step by step. With every step it struck, the enormous iron barrel let out a dull clang, bounced into the air, and tumbled onto the next step. CLANG! CLANG! The entire square was dead silent as everyone watched the plump red iron barrel bounce down the steps. Bai Zhou blinked, his lips twitching uncontrollably. What in the world is that? When the object finally rolled onto the bottom step, it came to a halt. Clang, clatter... The giant red iron barrel wobbled on the ground, and then— Boom! The iron barrel popped open. Clack-clack-clack! As if triggering some mechanical contraption, the plump iron barrel split down the middle, extending two stubby mechanical arms, followed by two even shorter mechanical legs. Finally, a head slowly rose from the top of the barrel. That head was also plump and round, topped with two antennae-like rods that wobbled back and forth. With two sharp clicks, it stabilized itself on the ground. A massive red iron barrel for a torso, with stout limbs forged of red metal glowing with golden streams of light at the joints. The tin can had completed its transformation. On the round head, two circular, bulb-like eyes gazed toward Bai Zhou from across the distance. ( ● — ● ) It simply stared at Bai Zhou. Bai Zhou: "..." The gathered elites of the Special Control Bureau: "..." Then, the purple-haired young woman pointed toward the tin can. "Fighting it is the same as fighting me—defeating it is defeating me!" Bai Zhou was left speechless, the corner of his eye twitching. Fight this thing? What kind of tin can is this supposed to be? "Your Highness," Bai Zhou asked earnestly. "Isn't that just a... robot?" "No." The young woman shook her head. "It fully represents me." "In fact, you can think of it as my avatar." As she spoke, observing Bai Zhou's bewildered expression, her cool, delicate face remained unchanged. Yet Bai Zhou clearly caught the faintest upward curve of her lips—subtle, brief, and gone in a flash. "Its name is... never mind, the name doesn't matter." The young woman waved her hand dismissively. "What matters is that it has been my sparring partner since childhood. It shares a unique bond with me and can calibrate its power to replicate my strength as a Level 5 professional with perfect fidelity." Pausing slightly, she looked at Bai Zhou with genuine seriousness. "In truth, I am quite interested in you, the 'Savior.' I want to see with my own eyes just how far you can go." "...Of course, this is by no means a pointless battle." She added, "The knowledge within the puzzle cube in your hand is incomplete. Win or lose, I will find a way to complete it for you afterward." "And if you defeat this robot—I promise to give you something that will satisfy you!" Understood. She has a stand-in. Nobles sure love their theatrics. Bai Zhou frowned in contemplation. He glanced up at the platform, exchanging a look with the Statute Emissary. The Statute Emissary gave a subtle nod. Pensive, Bai Zhou turned his gaze back to the tin can standing nearby. The tin can stared right back at him. Its two round bulb eyes even blinked twice. "...Can it talk?" Bai Zhou asked curiously. "Yes." The purple-haired young woman nodded, then shook her head, looking hesitant. "Though... you might not want to hear it." No sooner had the words left her mouth than a beep chimed from the tin can. On its round head, the bulb eyes scrolled downward, replaced by a line of glowing Eastern Federation characters: "Hmph! A mere mortal from a barbarian state—worthy of this King going all out?" Bai Zhou: "...?" He immediately snapped his head toward the young woman. "You said it represents you? That it's your avatar?" "...It's just a robot." The young woman looked away blankly. Now it's just a robot? Bai Zhou let out a sigh, but the purple-gold saber in his hand was already humming softly, as if it had long been yearning for an exhilarating battle. Upon the blade rested a clear five-finger imprint surrounded by faint cracks—yet these did nothing to dull its sharpness, serving instead as the finest testament to its glorious service. A challenge delivered to his doorstep—truth be told, Bai Zhou had no reason to decline. He was an Adventurer, and the next stage of his extraordinary pathway was called Trialist. Shrinking back would violate the true essence of his pathway. Just as this young Highness was curious about the savior who had rescued the city, how could Bai Zhou not be curious about her? He had always understood that there were mountains beyond mountains and skies beyond skies. Yet throughout his journey in Tinghai, Bai Zhou had never encountered an equal within his rank; his entire path had consisted of punching above his weight. This Highness from the Fog Capital... Was the perfect touchstone to measure where he truly stood on a global scale! In fact, Bai Zhou had ample reason to suspect— As the supposed heir of Rome, this young Highness was very likely a Heavenly Mandate Adventurer! In the future, the formidable enemies he encountered in the Jurassic period would almost certainly be similar beings. "Then let's have a match." Though the fighting spirit in his chest had already boiled over, Bai Zhou still wore a somewhat reluctant expression before the young woman. "Truthfully, I doubt I can beat Your Highness, but I can give it a try." "—Just don't forget what you promised afterward." At the end, Bai Zhou didn't forget to remind her. "I won't." The young woman nodded, pledging earnestly, "I will certainly leave you satisfied!" She put distinct emphasis on the word "satisfied." And so, Under eager, tense gazes, a new battle unfolded. The Western Federation fighters drew back, clearing ample space for Bai Zhou and the young woman's "avatar." Up on the platform, the two senior Western Federation representatives exchanged a glance, reading the perplexity in each other's eyes. "This is the first time I've seen Her Highness show such appreciation for someone," the woman with the tabby cat on her shoulder murmured. "To capture Her Highness's interest, this young man might..." "Perhaps staying in this place squanders his talents." As she spoke, she turned toward the Statute Emissary beside her, about to speak, only to be met by his guarded stare. "He is a rare talent our Tinghai nurtured with immense effort!" the Statute Emissary emphasized sternly. "We are about to recommend him to Tianjing as an outstanding official talent of Tinghai. Forget any ideas about the Fog Capital." Even as they spoke, the clashing of weapons below grew thunderous, silencing everyone on the platform as all eyes snapped back to the ring. Boom! A blood moon surged into being. Bai Zhou leaped high into the air, bringing his blade down like a collapsing mountain. Forget the modest, bashful demeanor he had shown before the fight, hinting at an expected defeat... The moment his fingers locked around the hilt, an aura of utter invincibility erupted from him. His blade was tyrannical to the extreme, carrying an arrogance more blatant than any of the Western Federation visitors—one could even call it reckless. Facing the "avatar" of Her Highness, Bai Zhou behaved as though he paid her no heed at all, delivering an overhand chop from above as if seeking to suppress it beneath his blade through sheer force. Whir, whir... Faced with such a ferocious assault, even the tin can dared not take it head-on. It dodged sideways, its bulky frame proving terrifyingly agile as it moved with exceptionally fluid, mysterious footwork. It danced around Bai Zhou, slipping past wave after wave of his increasingly rapid slashes while watching for an opening to counterattack. Rumble! The robot's counterattack arrived. Its fists clenched tightly before its chest, its body swaying left and right. In a flash, it appeared right before Bai Zhou and drove a punch straight at him. Clang! A ringing sound of struck iron echoed out. Bai Zhou brought his blade across to parry, sparks flying in all directions. The moment fist met blade, the webbing between his thumb and index finger trembled, sending a wave of numbness shooting through his entire arm. What immense strength! This was the first time Bai Zhou had met an opponent of the same rank who could contend with him purely in raw physical power. A chosen of Heavenly Mandate! Definitely a Heavenly Mandate holder, but... it didn't seem to be an Adventurer? He felt none of the resonance that came with facing an opponent of the same pathway and Fate Principle. You aren't even a Heavenly Mandate Adventurer, and you dare claim you inherited Rome? Bai Zhou was bewildered. Yet he had no time to ponder further, because the robot followed that single punch with a flurry of combos. Swaying left and right, the red barrel-like machine threw punch after punch. Surging spiritual radiance boiled around both the robot and Bai Zhou, turbulent and fraught with peril. Naturally, this couldn't halt Bai Zhou. His blade flashed in direct clashes against the robot's fists, the boiling battle intent in his chest infusing the purple-gold saber qi and multiplying its destructive power. Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang—! Iron fists and the cavalry saber collided again and again, sending brilliant sparks raining down. The shredded air created turbulent shockwaves that gouged glaring scratches across the scarred ground. Below, the elites of the Special Control Bureau watched without blinking, while the Western Federation fighters widened their eyes in disbelief. "Fast! What a fast blade! What heavy fists!" "To fight Her Highness at the same rank to a standstill!" "So earlier... this man wasn't even going all out?" The young Level 5 professional who had been battered and hurled into the trees earlier now struggled to his feet with the support of his companions. Staring fixedly at the ferocious clash on the field, his face turned increasingly pale. Anyone could see that the young man in pajamas had only just begun to take things seriously. The purple-gold saber carved an arc through the air, blade light cascading like a waterfall, qi stretching out like a banner. Every strike aimed directly for the tin can's waist—the seam where two iron plates joined, which Bai Zhou guessed was its defensive weak point. Yet the tin can relied on that bizarre footwork to slip past at impossible, exaggerated angles. Swoosh! And as it dodged, its mechanical arms suddenly elongated, nearly gouging into Bai Zhou's back. Is this... a movement secret technique? Bai Zhou was privately startled. Crow had taught him plenty of conventional combat footwork, but he had rarely encountered secret techniques dedicated to movement, as though such techniques were exceptionally scarce. Yet judging by this robot, Her Highness appeared to excel in this domain. Bai Zhou had noticed earlier that the missing piece within Thousand Blade Vortex Slash seemed to pertain to movement. No wonder Her Highness had dared claim she could find a way to help him complete the technique! If he could truly master it, pairing it with the Nine Basic Slashes would shore up his shortcomings while allowing his combat prowess to take another massive leap forward! Yet right now, still lacking a movement secret technique, Bai Zhou was forced to swallow some bitter pills against this robot... Swoosh! Another blur flashed before his eyes as the robot's arms lengthened once more, swinging around to strike at his back from behind. A heavy, vicious gale brushed past him, making Bai Zhou grind his teeth. "How underhanded!" His desire for the technique burned even hotter. A movement secret technique paired with flanking ambush tactics... was tailor-made for him! The robot's fighting style was already straightforward enough; after all, its iron plating was practically impregnable. Bai Zhou struggled merely to breach its defense, his blade leaving only superficial scratches across the metal. It wasn't even enough to tickle the machine. Conversely, all the tin can needed was a few solid, heavy blows on Bai Zhou to declare the fight over. A direct, honest brawling style was truly the most unassailable. Even so, the robot's weaving frame was making Bai Zhou dizzy, kindling a rising flame of frustration in his chest. He couldn't hit it, and even when he did, he couldn't pierce its armor. How was he supposed to fight? The machine didn't care about Bai Zhou's internal grumbling; it simply darted back and forth, breaking his lock-on while hammering him with punch after punch. Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang! Wind pressure howled; sparks trailed like dragons. Leaping, dodging, and weaving, Bai Zhou traded dozens of blows with the resilient tin can in the blink of an eye, their movements so swift they left layered afterimages in the air. He had considered invoking the four characters floating upon the Sea of Ignorance, but under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Bai Zhou truly didn't want to expose those trump cards. Fortunately, he was also an initiated ritualist. —He had Celestial Pivot. Blade flashing, saber qi crisscrossing, he etched fine score marks across the robot's waist one after another. Simultaneously, Celestial Pivot spun quietly within his Fate Principle space. The moment the robot swayed into position behind Bai Zhou once more— Bai Zhou leapt into the air, Celestial Pivot trembling as he whispered, "Detonate!" Immediately, Spirituality surged in response. BOOM! At the barrel robot's waist—or rather, between its legs— It exploded! The explosion ritual, which the Special Control Bureau had become intimately familiar with recently, made its triumphant return. Among the Western Federation ranks, the youths were stunned to find that Bai Zhou was also an adept ritualist. Yet the armored, purple-haired young woman's face twisted dramatically. Her reaction was entirely disproportionate, laced with sudden, inexplicable panic alongside her shock. Whir, whir... The grinding whine of mechanical joints sounded as the barrel robot wobbled, exposing an opening in that split second. "Now!" Flying back down from midair, Bai Zhou summoned another burning blood moon that exploded directly in the robot's face. Before the robot could register anything through the glare, a size 42 plastic slipper expanded rapidly in its field of vision— CLANG! A heavy blow struck. The slipper slammed hard against the robot's round head, kicking it clean off its feet and sending it flying out of the dueling square. "Damn, what hard iron!" Bai Zhou landed, wincing as his big toe rapidly swelled red. "...That counts as a win, right?" Yet in the next instant, Under the horrified gaze of the purple-haired young woman, a terrifying pressure abruptly erupted from the distance. BOOM! Enveloped in golden flames, the robot vaulted high into the air, closing the distance to Bai Zhou in the blink of an eye. By now, the bulb eyes had vanished, replaced by an intensely furious [ O • ` A • 〇 ] flashing across the screen on its round head. Immediately following that was a frantic, blood-red marquee scrolling with incandescent rage: [ ROGUE ROGUE ROGUE ROGUE... DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!!!! ] [ KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL! ] Boiling with murderous intent, the tin can charged forward amid rumbling thunder. As the golden streams of light expanded in Bai Zhou's vision, he sensed an unmistakably fatal threat. —This was unequivocally terrifying power above Level 6! The robot had gone berserk! Just as the golden light was about to strike Bai Zhou, a purple figure plummeted from the sky. Thud! The purple-haired young woman caught the berserk tin can in a tight embrace. "Calm down! You must calm down!" she shouted in a low voice, her arms locking firmly around the plump iron body. Yet the tin can thrashed violently, its red-and-gold glow threatening to burst, while aggressive plumes of black smoke billowed from its round brow. The purple-haired young woman knew precisely what had enraged the machine. She glanced awkwardly at the charred, blackened waist of the robot in her arms... Bai Zhou had targeted that seam where the upper and lower halves met, assuming an explosion there would shatter its defenses. Yet right now, the robot's groin was merely blackened with soot, showing not the slightest sign of a breach. —However, while the physical damage was nil, the insult was astronomical. To make matters worse, there was a dirty slipper print stamped across the tin can's face. It looked utterly pitiful. [ That rotten, underhanded brat! ] [ PERVERT PERVERT PERVERT PERVERT... DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!!! ] The text scrolled furiously, the robot's aura blanketing the entire square. In the distance, Bai Zhou pulled his head in and retreated ten meters in a flurry of steps. Fortunately, the purple-haired young woman held the tin can in an iron grip, giving Bai Zhou a rare sense of security behind her. "So fierce! Terrifying!" This was the first time Bai Zhou had ever sensed such raw, hysterical outrage from a robot... Still, did this count as a victory for him or not? What about the reward the young woman had promised? They had agreed on a one-on-one duel at the same rank... why cheat the moment things didn't go your way? "You won! Bai Zhou!" With one arm clamped tightly around the struggling crimson tin can, the purple-haired young woman did her best to soothe it in a whisper, while shooting a furious glare at Bai Zhou, who was hiding far away. Raising her other hand, she flung several objects toward him from across the distance. "—The prize I promised you!" The objects flew like throwing darts, caught deftly by Bai Zhou. A black envelope shimmering with faint, deep darkness. A palm-sized silver knight's sword with laurel branches wrapped around the hilt, looking just like the keychains popular among youth on the Blue Star. And two pitch-black stones. Up on the platform, the Statute Emissary shot to his feet the moment he recognized the items in Bai Zhou's hands. "A Fog Capital Ancient Ruins Invitation!" "A Knight's Proof!" "And those two stones are..." His gray beard trembled uncontrollably. After staring in shock for several moments, the Statute Emissary whispered in disbelief, "Thousand Blade Magic Stones?" Standing in the square, Bai Zhou caught the Statute Emissary's hushed gasp. "What on earth are these...?" Muttering to himself, Bai Zhou first examined the keychain-like silver knight's sword in his hand. At palm-sized, it was clearly no weapon. "A Knight's Proof?" Bai Zhou mused. "What does it do?" Flipping the miniature silver sword over, he noticed an unusual incantation engraved upon the blade. Following a sudden instinct, as if struck by sudden inspiration, Bai Zhou softly recited the words. "Per aspera ad astra." Hum! The engraved words along the blade lit up one by one, blazing with a dazzling, radiant golden luster. A surge of knowledge regarding the incantation flowed directly into Bai Zhou's mind. Its meaning: "Through hardship to the stars."